Abstract: Each of a pair of spool-supporting struts for a spool-holding rack having two pairs of vertical posts between which the struts are mounted utilizes an axle assembly having rotatable end portions for resting upon the struts and a beam having two opposite end portions. The beam includes an upwardly-opening pocket which is adapted to accept a rotatable end portion of the axle assembly directed downwardly therein, and there is associated with each end portion of the beam a platen portion which is positionable outboard of the pair of vertical posts. In addition, an abutment surface is associated with the upwardly-opening pocket for aiding in the locating of an end portion of the axle assembly in vertical registry with the upwardly-opening pocket, and the upwardly-opening pocket includes a pair of spool-centering guide plates along the side opening thereof.

Abstract: A pallet and method for supporting a spool for transport or use includes an elongated frame having two opposite ends and two opposite sides which extend between the two opposite ends. The frame includes a support surface within which a spool can be cradled so that the spool rests across the support surface and the barrel of the item is oriented substantially horizontally and normal to the longitudinal axis of the frame. A pair of cooperating members are arranged adjacent the sides of the frame and are cooperable with the spool barrel for placing a spool in condition to be lifted from the support surface. Jack assemblies are interposed between the cooperating members and the frame for lifting the spool from the support surface by way of the jack assemblies.

Abstract: A tool for use with a hammer driver having a pin-accepting socket for driving a ground rod into the ground includes a body having two opposite side faces and at least one ground rod-accepting passageway extending between the two side faces. The tool also includes a guide pin which is joined to so as to extend from one of the side faces of the body and an elongated socket portion having first and second opposite ends and having a hollow interior which opens out of a first end of the socket portion. In addition, the socket portion is secured to the other side face of the body by way of the second end so that the first end extends away from the other side face of the body, and the guide pin and the elongated socket portion are axially-aligned with one another.

Abstract: A wire-anchoring system for use with a core about which a wire is desired to be wound utilizes a lanyard assembly which includes a cord portion and a connector body connected to the cord portion. The elongated connector body has two opposite ends and a hollow interior including an opening which opens out of the body at one end thereof and into which the terminal end of the wire can be inserted for purposes of anchoring the wire to the connector body. In addition, the cord portion of the wire has a free end which is securable to the outer surface of the core adjacent the securement location thereon so that by securing the free end of the cord portion to the outer surface of the core and anchoring the terminal end of the wire to the connector body, the wire is anchored to the core for an operation involving the winding of the wire about the core.

Abstract: A switching assembly for rope-pulling equipment including mechanisms for holding an electrically-operated power tool for rotating a capstan about an axis and which power tool includes a depressible ON/OFF switch utilizes an actuator having a switch-engaging portion which is mounted for pivotal movement between a first condition at which the switch of the power tool is in an OFF position and a second condition at which the switch of the power tool is depressed by the switch-engaging portion to switch the power tool ON. The actuator further includes a rope-engaging section so that by wrapping a section of rope to be pulled about the capstan, routing an end of the rope about the rope-engaging section and then appropriately pulling upon the end of the rope, the actuator is pivoted from the first to the second condition, and the rope is advanced along the equipment by the rotating capstan.

Abstract: An apparatus for lifting or supporting an item in an elevated condition includes a telescoping post assembly having an inner tube section which provides one end section of the post assembly and an outer tube section which defines an opposite end section of the post assembly. In addition, a gas spring is mounted within the post assembly for acting between the inner and outer tube sections, and a manually-operable lever member is associated with the gas spring and is cooperable with a fulcrum member to effect the movement of the two opposite end sections of the post assembly away from one another so that by positioning the telescoping post assembly between the support surface and the item to be lifted and then moving the actuator mechanism between two conditions effects the lifting of the item from the support surface.

Abstract: Each of a pair of spool-supporting struts for a spool-holding rack having two pairs of vertical posts between which the struts are mounted utilizes an axle assembly having rotatable end portions for resting upon the struts and a beam having two opposite end portions. The beam includes an upwardly-opening pocket which is adapted to accept a rotatable end portion of the axle assembly directed downwardly therein, and there is associated with each end portion of the beam a platen portion which is positionable outboard of the pair of vertical posts. In addition, an abutment surface is associated with the upwardly-opening pocket for aiding in the locating of an end portion of the axle assembly in vertical registry with the upwardly-opening pocket, and the upwardly-opening pocket includes a pair of spool-centering guide plates along the side opening thereof.

Abstract: An item and an associated method utilizing an elongated core defining an outer surface having a series of axially-disposed regions about which windable materials can be wound involves anchoring locations at which the terminal ends of windable materials are anchorable. The series of regions are arranged along the core of the item in a sequential fashion with a first region being disposed adjacent a first end of the core, and the anchoring location of each subsequent region in the series of regions subsequent to the first region is circumferentially spaced about the outer surface of the core from the anchoring location of the region which immediately precedes the subsequent region by a predetermined distance and in a circumferential direction therealong which is opposite the direction in which the item is rotated during a material unwinding process.

Abstract: A roller assembly for facilitating the drawing of a cable along a cable tray having a transversely-extending strut includes one roller having a rotation axis and an elongated attachment portion having a cross-sectional shape which is substantially U-shaped in form. The attachment portion is positionable about the transversely-extending strut of the cable tray by directing the opening of the U of the cross-sectional shape of the attachment portion over the strut. A fastener is used to bind the attachment portion to the strut. A second roller can mounted upon the attachment portion for rotation about an axis which is substantially normal to the rotation axis of the one roller for use at a corner or curve of the tray, and the componentry of the assembly facilitates the construction of a roller-bearing apparatus providing a multi-sided passageway through which a cable can be drawn.

Abstract: An apparatus enabling a barrel-including spool of windable material to be lifted and transported with a forklift truck includes two elongated channel members having open ends into which forks of a forklift truck can be directed and transversely-extending members for maintaining the channel members in a parallel relationship. A pair of hooks are pivotally suspended from the channel members and are capable of being hooked about end portions of an axle which is directed through the barrel of the spool. By directing the forks of a forklift truck into the open ends of the channel members, positioning the apparatus above the spool, and then hooking the hooks of the apparatus about the end portions of the axle which protrudes from the opposite sides of the spool, the spool can be lifted by way of the forklift truck.

Abstract: A tool for use with a hammer driver having a pin-accepting socket for driving a ground rod into the ground includes a body having two opposite side faces and at least one ground rod-accepting passageway extending between the two side faces. The tool also includes a guide pin which is joined to so as to extend from one of the side faces of the body and an elongated socket portion having first and second opposite ends and having a hollow interior which opens out of a first end of the socket portion. In addition, the socket portion is secured to the other side face of the body by way of the second end so that the first end extends away from the other side face of the body, and the guide pin and the elongated socket portion are axially-aligned with one another.

Abstract: An adaptor assembly for use with a battery-operated hand tool which includes a battery pack-accepting portion to which a battery pack can be connected utilizes an adaptor having a body which is positionable between the battery pack-accepting portion of the hand tool and the battery pack so that electrical current which is intended to flow between the battery pack and the hand tool during tool operation passes through the adaptor. A foot-operable ON/OFF switch is connected to the adaptor so that operation of the foot-operable switch selectively permits or shuts off the flow of electrical current between the battery pack and the hand tool so that when the adaptor is positioned between the battery pack-accepting portion of the hand tool and the battery pack, the ON/OFF operation of the hand tool can be controlled by way of the foot-operable ON/OFF switch.

Abstract: A material cart includes an elongated framed structure having two ends and two sides and utilizes an elevated top assembly with which the framed structure can be suspended from the forks, or a fork, of a forklift truck. The top assembly includes a pair of fork-accepting mounts wherein each mount includes a body of substantially U-shaped cross section having two leg sections and a top section joining the two leg sections. The two leg sections of each mount are joined to the elongated frame so that a first fork-accepting opening is provided by the mount and is adapted to accept a fork of a forklift truck directed therein from a side of the framed structure. The leg sections of each mount define a pair of aligned cutouts which provide a second fork-accepting opening of the mount for accepting a fork of a forklift truck directed therein from an end of the framed structure.

Abstract: A portable rack for holding windable material, such as cable or wire, includes two elongated leg sections which are joined together at the upper ends thereof for pivotal movement between a folded condition at which the lower ends of the leg sections are disposed adjacent one another and an unfolded condition at which the lower ends of the leg sections are in a spaced-apart relationship. A two-ended rod is attachable to one leg section so that each of the two ends of the rod is capable of supporting a coil of windable material directed thereover. In addition, a plate member is secured to one of the leg sections adjacent the upper end thereof and defines an abutment edge for limiting the movement of the lower ends of the leg sections further apart during an unfolding operation to a distance as measured between the lower ends of the leg sections when in the unfolded condition.

Abstract: A swivel coupling assembly includes a first elongated head to which a first cable is connectable and a second elongated head to which a second cable is connectable. A flexible tension member includes one end section which extends through the first head and is prevented from passing out of the first head toward the second head, and the tension member includes an opposite end section which extends through the second head and is prevented from passing out of the second head toward the first head. The first head, the second head and the tension member are capable of being rotated relative to one another, and the flexible tension member possesses a length sufficient to permit the first and second heads to be moved relative to one another between a position at which the longitudinal axes of the first and second heads are substantially aligned and a position at which the longitudinal axes of the first and second heads are oriented at substantially a right angle.

Abstract: A framed structure, such as a material cart, used for material-handling purposes includes an elongated frame having two opposite ends and two opposite sides. In addition, a first set of mounts are adapted to accept the forks of a forklift truck directed endwise therein and are arranged in such a relationship to the elongated frame so that the first pair of mounts are adapted to accept the forks of a forklift truck directed therein from a side of the elongated frame. Furthermore, a second set of mounts are adapted to accept the forks of a forklift truck directed endwise therein and are arranged in such a relationship to the elongated frame so that the second set of mounts are adapted to accept the forks of a forklift truck directed therein from an end of the elongated frame.

Abstract: A support apparatus anchorable to a fixed structure for aiding in the support of a hand-operated tool during use includes an articulated arm unit including linkages which provide the arm unit with a distal end to which the tool can be secured and an opposite proximal end. The arm unit includes a counterbalancing spring so that movement of the distal end of the arm unit relative to the proximal end thereof is effected with relative ease. A mount associated with the proximal end of the arm unit is capable of being secured to a fixed structure for anchoring the support apparatus thereto. In addition, three pins are joined to and extend from the body of the mount so that when the proximal end of the arm unit is pivotally connected to any one of the three pins, the arm unit can be pivotally moved relative to the mount about any one axis of a spatial arrangement including three coordinate axes.

Abstract: An attachment assembly securable about a rod having external threads to enable a support item, such as a strut, to be supported by the rod at a desired location along the length thereof includes a body defining a substantially linear groove having a surface which is shaped substantially complementary to the shape of the external threads which extend along one side of the rod. A clamping arrangement is associated with the body for clamping the surface of the linear groove of the body in a meshed relationship with the external threads of the rod. A bracket to which a support item can be attached is fixedly secured to the body so that by clamping the surface of the linear groove of the body in a meshed relationship with the threads of the rod as aforesaid, the support item can be attached to the rod by way of the bracket.

Abstract: A material cart including a wheeled rectangular base frame includes corner members having an end portion of reduced size at one end thereof and which are arrangable in either reduced end-up or a reduced end-down orientation at the corners of the material cart to facilitate the stacking of the material cart with a material cart of like construction. If desired, these corner members enable the weight of the cart to be supported upon the underlying floor through the corner members, rather than through the wheels of the cart. The cart also includes a top assembly by which the cart is capable of being lifted, and a fork-accepting mount is securable to the top assembly in alternative orientations to enable the material cart to be lifted with the fork of a forklift which approaches the mount from either a side of the cart or from an end of the cart.

Abstract: A hand cart and a method of use for lifting a spool of material from a floor includes a wheeled base and a spool-supporting rack section which includes a pair of parallel arm sections having two ends which extend forwardly of the cart. A pair of floor-engaging struts are joined to the arm sections adjacent the forwardly-extending ends thereof, and a pair of pillow blocks having a pair of axially-aligned openings are secured to the arm sections. By pivoting the cart forwardly about the struts from a first position at which the wheels engage the floor to a second position at which the wheels are elevated from the floor, then inserting an axle rod in sequence through one pillow block opening, through the barrel of the item and then through the other pillow block opening and then returning the cart to the first position, the item is lifted above the floor.